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My Altezza Review; Sydney owner review on the rare Altezza
Topic Started: Nov 6 2007, 05:15 PM (689 Views)
3lusive
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Sydney Australia
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Hi All

Having owned the Altezza for over 2 months now, I thought it was time I’d write a quick review on it.

I know a few Oz members out there are quite interested on how the Altezza goes and handles since they are quite rare here.

I’ll try my hardest to make a direct comparison to the IS200 as I previously owned one.

Where to start..

I’ll start on the engine, the BEAMS 3SGE (keep in mind the car has a full exhaust with extractors).

As Matt has mentioned numerous times on the forum, the 3SGE and 1GFE are pretty much identical up until 5000rpm. At low RPM the car definitely feels heavy and sluggish no matter how hard you stab the throttle. However, when cruising, you can’t really notice the lack of low end torque.

If you’re at a traffic light and you intend on taking off fast, this is where the 3SGE will really disappoint you.

At 5000+ rpm the car really does come alive. You really do feel the dual VVTI come in. It’s not as neck snapping as turbo, more of a strong constant surge of acceleration. From 5000 – 8000rpm, the car often surprises me at how quick the car picks up speed.

Correct gear selection in this car is vital! Exit a corner in the wrong gear will result in hideous exit speed! The same for hills.. Just last weekend I had a full car and tried to attack a hill in 2nd gear.. Keyword ‘tried’!

In a nutshell, the 3SGE is a high revving raspy engine that suffers a lack of bottom end torque but loves to redline!

Handling wise, I can’t really comment here? Having owned the Evo in between doesn’t really help lol. But as most of you all know, the Altezza/IS are well balanced cars that aren’t afraid to attack corners!

I’ve noticed a few members here have contemplated the 3SGE transplant. So.. Would I recommend it? Yes… BUT with the money I’d suggest a 1J or a 2J instead. The lack of low end torque really does spoil it for me. But at the end of the day it is personal preference..

After 2 months of owning the car I’ve hit the hunger for more power. So I’m currently researching the best path to take > to remain N/A or to turbo charge (or neither and save my money, which was my original intentions when I sold the Evo lol).

Hope this thread was useful! I’ll definitely add more info as I learn more about my car.

Also, I’d be more than happy for members to ride shotgun in future meets that I attend to.
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Brian_J
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Awesome review! I found it quite similar to my (very limited) experience in the altezza in Melbourne.
I'm quite sure if you don't want your car there'll be plenty of us waiting to buy it off your hands hehe
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beerbaron
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Brian_J,Nov 6 2007
02:52 PM
Awesome review! I found it quite similar to my (very limited) experience in the altezza in Melbourne.
I'm quite sure if you don't want your car there'll be plenty of us waiting to buy it off your hands hehe

hahah you dont have to worry about that ;)
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pras
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Nice review, i'd love one just because you could buy an off the shelf turbokit for it and it sounds like a nice strong 2l for the application.
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RE99IE
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nice review. Slap in a turbo in there. You know you want too. ;)
so seriousely what is next phase for this car?
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CoffeeBoss
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Yes, that and the fact that you get power with handling improvement rather than compromise. But it's all in the detail. The 1J (I'm calling it the "Chaser" conversion) is a better candidate for power simply because it is stronger.

Great review, Pete, as you can expect, there are a number of us wondering about how you are finding this car!

Based on my drive of Corey's turbo RS200 in NZ, yes, you want a turbo, you really, really do! Basically, you want more torque, and headers and a Camcon controller will only do so much. You need forced induction! Corey's car was stock until 3000rpm, between 3000rpm - 4000 rpm it spooled to full boost, and then from there it was a solid ~0.5 bar right to redline. It was quick (0.5 bar on a high compression motor is quite a kick) and it was seemless as well, so on boost, it still had that great revvy characteristic, you just didn't need to dig as deep for the power, obviously. Must say, I'm really curious to know what a Blitz supercharged RS200 would be like. But an off the shelf TRUST kit, for example, would do nicely on low boost, providing it had additional customisation (suitable intercooler, for example) to account for our hot climate. Still, if you want to save money, I would stick to NA bolt-ons for now, as unless you are very conservative with the turbo setup you will surely end up spending more money down the track opening the motor and installing more suitable pistons!
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3lusive
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RE99IE,Nov 6 2007
06:34 PM
nice review. Slap in a turbo in there. You know you want too. ;)
so seriousely what is next phase for this car?

Not too sure to be honest.

I have a huge shopping list (doesn't everyone lol).

Here's a rough idea on what I plan to do in order:

- Wheels and tyres - leaning towards SSR SP1 or TE37's
- Brakes - Feroda pads, slotted rotors and braided brake lines
- Engine modifications - N/A or Turbo?

Another problem with modifying the engine is to find a reputable mechanic/tuner. I have no doubt that most workshops would have little or no experience at all with the BEAMS engine.

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3lusive
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Brian_J,Nov 6 2007
05:22 PM
Awesome review! I found it quite similar to my (very limited) experience in the altezza in Melbourne.
I'm quite sure if you don't want your car there'll be plenty of us waiting to buy it off your hands hehe

:lol: Brian, I've owned 3 cars before the Tezz and none of them lasted over a year.. I vowed that I'd keep this for at least 2 years.. I need stability in my life! lol
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DR-JEKL
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Hmm I seen a 2nd hand Blitz kit last week for like $1K AUD

I thought with the Altezza being a lighter car the 3SGE would be fine around town, sounds like it would be somewhat frustrating purely as a daily driver?
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3lusive
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DR-JEKL,Nov 6 2007
07:20 PM
Hmm I seen a 2nd hand Blitz kit last week for like $1K AUD

I thought with the Altezza being a lighter car the 3SGE would be fine around town, sounds like it would be somewhat frustrating purely as a daily driver?

You got a link buddy? or more info?

To me, a daily driver needs to be a zippy free reving car. So I guess it could be somewhat frustrating.

Lucky for me, my car is purely a weekend car along with my motorbike.
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DR-JEKL
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3lusive,Nov 6 2007
07:24 PM
DR-JEKL,Nov 6 2007
07:20 PM
Hmm I seen a 2nd hand Blitz kit last week for like $1K AUD

I thought with the Altezza being a lighter car the 3SGE would be fine around town, sounds like it would be somewhat frustrating purely as a daily driver?

You got a link buddy? or more info?

To me, a daily driver needs to be a zippy free reving car. So I guess it could be somewhat frustrating.

Lucky for me, my car is purely a weekend car along with my motorbike.



I found while searching on the japanese yahoo auctions site. I will have a look.... sorry couldnt find it, found a new kit, kinda pricey though

http://page3.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/c159267539


What bike are you currently riding?
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xero
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DR-JEKL,Nov 6 2007
07:20 PM
Hmm I seen a 2nd hand Blitz kit last week for like $1K AUD

I thought with the Altezza being a lighter car the 3SGE would be fine around town, sounds like it would be somewhat frustrating purely as a daily driver?

its the gas saving you get in the altezza over the AS200/IS200 is worth it.

How much do you guys get in a full tank? I can easily get over 550km's to a tank...

Its a great daily driver... I take mine to and from every day without hassle...
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DR-JEKL
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xero,Nov 6 2007
07:32 PM
DR-JEKL,Nov 6 2007
07:20 PM
Hmm I seen a 2nd hand Blitz kit last week for like $1K AUD

I thought with the Altezza being a lighter car the 3SGE would be fine around town, sounds like it would be somewhat frustrating purely as a daily driver?

its the gas saving you get in the altezza over the AS200/IS200 is worth it.

How much do you guys get in a full tank? I can easily get over 550km's to a tank...

Its a great daily driver... I take mine to and from every day without hassle...

Not sure if the IS300 has the same size tank, but I get around 270 ish to half a tank which would work out around mid 500's around town
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black200
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swap my car for yours? :D

can't wait to experience it pete :) Love it
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scott-altezza
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i only get 18 mpg with the blitz s/charger fitted,must say the inprovment in torque and power with the blitz s/charger kit i thought was amazing one minute u can be cruising and the next heading to the speed limiter, even take off's are amazing as i do the qurter mile a lot , rev to 4000 rpm , then instant power as th s/cahrger kicks in on mine at 4500 rpm, well worth the money but they can be dear espescially in the uk as mines was £4000 then fitment ect.overall i also think the altezza's are superb cars
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greeneyes
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The supercharger on the Targa rally car I drove came on under 2000rpm if you booted it hard enough!

That was an absolutely stunning car compared to greeneyes, yet it only had an aftermarket S/C and some careful tuning.
The Girl's KE70-
http://www.rollaclub.com/board/topic/42407-the-girls-ke70/
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http://www.rollaclub.com/board/topic/64027...ld-a-rally-car/
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3lusive
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black200,Nov 7 2007
01:27 AM
swap my car for yours? :D

can't wait to experience it pete :) Love it

:D

C'mon Charlie your car is pretty damn awesome!

Just do something about the engine and your call will be perfect!
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3lusive
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Well after I posted this thread last night I actually went for a quick drive. I felt that my review may have been influenced largely on my last drive - my last drive being with a full car of mates.

So I took the car out and went for an ‘enthused’ drive around the local area. The torque issue wasn’t as bad as I originally thought (I guess my previous drive with a full car did cloud my judgement). But don’t get me wrong, it definitely lacks the go in low RPM but once you’ve hit 5000rpm it definitely does go hard!

I think with this type of engine, to go fast, you really got to be going hard. Basically, you’re either cruising or your pushing it to redline. Unlike my Evo, if you’d just give it a bit of gas the car would respond nicely and take off.

I’m a bit conservative when it comes to driving. I mean, I’m not the one to always push my car to redline and put the engine under that stress.. But with the 3SGE, I think that’s the way it’s meant to be driven.

It definitely is a fun car! Unlike turbo, you really got to work for the power. I’d say it’s actually more satisfying as well!

So this morning, I’m quite content to remain N/A.. But knowing me, I’ll probably change my mind – I’m all about phases lol.
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DR-JEKL
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3lusive,Nov 7 2007
09:41 AM
Well after I posted this thread last night I actually went for a quick drive. I felt that my review may have been influenced largely on my last drive - my last drive being with a full car of mates.

So I took the car out and went for an ‘enthused’ drive around the local area. The torque issue wasn’t as bad as I originally thought (I guess my previous drive with a full car did cloud my judgement). But don’t get me wrong, it definitely lacks the go in low RPM but once you’ve hit 5000rpm it definitely does go hard!

I think with this type of engine, to go fast, you really got to be going hard. Basically, you’re either cruising or your pushing it to redline. Unlike my Evo, if you’d just give it a bit of gas the car would respond nicely and take off.

I’m a bit conservative when it comes to driving. I mean, I’m not the one to always push my car to redline and put the engine under that stress.. But with the 3SGE, I think that’s the way it’s meant to be driven.

It definitely is a fun car! Unlike turbo, you really got to work for the power. I’d say it’s actually more satisfying as well!

So this morning, I’m quite content to remain N/A.. But knowing me, I’ll probably change my mind – I’m all about phases lol.

Haha yeah aren't we all, it would definately would be nice to see what results you get if you go boosted ;)

Most ppl these days say go for a turbo over a S/C but you have to respect the fact that the tuner great (Blitz) has gone for a s/c.

I have looked at a number of S/C kits from the USA for my IS300 (mainly the toyomoto kit, which is out of production) but ultimately I think I would be better off with a turbo setup if I was to spend some cash on my engine :rolleyes:
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SfS
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Can anyone give us a review of an IS300 on how they compare aswell, responsiveness and low-down torque awswell.
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CoffeeBoss
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SFS, surely you can lay your hands on one to take for a drive, at work? Certainly, the 2J has way more low down torque than the IS200 and RS200, however it is dampened here in Oz by the fact that there is no manual option, and they are also somewhat heavier than IS200, which is slightly heavier than the RS200. So, power-to-weight ratio also plays a part. But, best you drive one to see for yourself!

Pete, sounds like your really starting to 'get' the whole NA thing. But yes, it's all about phases - after driving Corey's turbo RS200 in NZ last year, and Glenn's turbo MR2 at the last Wakefield Day, I have to admit I'm starting to come back around to the turbo way of thinking! But, even then i still yearn for that digging deep, throttle riding way you drive an NA car. Just depends on what your using the car for at the end of the day.

Speaking of which - get this thing down to Wakefield already!!
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SfS
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Thunderbird2,Nov 7 2007
09:45 PM
SFS, surely you can lay your hands on one to take for a drive, at work? Certainly, the 2J has way more low down torque than the IS200 and RS200, however it is dampened here in Oz by the fact that there is no manual option, and they are also somewhat heavier than IS200, which is slightly heavier than the RS200. So, power-to-weight ratio also plays a part. But, best you drive one to see for yourself!


Yeh they don't trust me taking the cars for a test drive round the block yet, but from what one of the mech's at work was saying ( he has a blue mica 300 ) he says they go bloody hard and if I was to get anything for it to be a 300.

Downsize is that its auto/tip-tronic and i'd have to try and import a manual supra gearbox or something.
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DR-JEKL
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SfS,Nov 8 2007
10:55 PM
Thunderbird2,Nov 7 2007
09:45 PM
SFS, surely you can lay your hands on one to take for a drive, at work? Certainly, the 2J has way more low down torque than the IS200 and RS200, however it is dampened here in Oz by the fact that there is no manual option, and they are also somewhat heavier than IS200, which is slightly heavier than the RS200. So, power-to-weight ratio also plays a part. But, best you drive one to see for yourself!


Yeh they don't trust me taking the cars for a test drive round the block yet, but from what one of the mech's at work was saying ( he has a blue mica 300 ) he says they go bloody hard and if I was to get anything for it to be a 300.

Downsize is that its auto/tip-tronic and i'd have to try and import a manual supra gearbox or something.

Hmm I wouldnt say they go hard.....

They go OK but definately not hard :(

And yeah I hate the Auto, you put the boot in, and it seems to take a second or so to think about what gear to select, then it goes. I prefer a manual anyday fo rthe instantaneous throttle response, but since 90% of my driving is to and from work in the suburban crawl, the auto isnt too bad an option!

I went for an IS300 over a 200 because of the extra luxury features, and dare I say the IS300's being a more expensive car tended to have a better service history compared to some of the IS200's I looked at, plus the torque of the 2JZ is nice and creamy.
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